Platonic Seminar: Plato's Crito

All students are invited to join Zephyr for this Platonic Seminar on Plato's Crito, in which Plato takes on some of the most foundational questions about the nature of political authority. No prior reading is required. We will read and discuss the text together.

Socrates is in prison, unjusty condemned to death and awaiting his execution. His close friend, Crito, wishes to persuade Socrates to escape—but Socrates insists on staying. Socrates is convinced that, even though the verdict of the jury is incorrect, it would nonetheless be unjust for him not to submit to their verdict, and it is a principle on which he has based his entire life's work that one should never do injustice, regardless of consequences. Under pressure from Crito, Socrates argues his case at length. Is Socrates right? What would we advise Socrates to do if we were in Crito's place? And what are the implications for how we should evaluate contemporary cases of civil disobedience? Join us as we wrestle with these and other questions together with Plato as our guide.

Dinner will be provided to all attendees. Please RSVP so that Zephyr can have an accurate headcount.